The referendum was seen as a test of the popularity of the military government of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a retired army general who has severely curtailed dissent since coming to power in a 2014 coup.
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Ahead of the vote polls suggested a small lead in favour of accepting the new constitution, but most voters were undecided.
Official results will be announced later Sunday.
The main criticisms of the draft constitution include that it outlines at least five years of a transitional period.
“But the people have spoken and we respect that choice”, he said. “There has been no charter that pleases people 100 percent”.
Jatuporn Prompan, chairman of the anti-government United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship group, said the referendum should not have been held under those conditions.
Under the abolished 2007 constitution, half the Senate was elected, and the prime minister had to come from the lower house. His sister Yingluck swept to power with an electoral landslide in 2011.
Thaksin called the charter a “folly”, saying it would perpetuate the junta’s power and make it impossible to govern Thailand.
Leaders of the latest coup say frequent political conflicts had made the country ungovernable and that military rule was necessary for stability.
The charter, drawn up by the junta, would lay the foundation for a civilian government influenced by the military and controlled by officials who have been appointed rather than elected.
In the northeastern city of Khon Kaen, around 50 voters queued to vote outside the town’s rebuilt city hall, which was burnt down by “red shirt” Shinawatra supporters during political unrest in 2010.
“Come out (to vote) because today is important for the future of the country”.
The vote comes amidst concern about the health of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 88. The military has for decades invoked its duty as defender of the deeply revered monarch to justify its interventions in politics.
“The draft constitution aims to entrench the power of the military and traditional elite, and if it passes the referendum Thailand will move toward semi-authoritarianism guided by the military”, according to the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, a Singapore-based research organization. “If you don’t want to leave anybody behind in this country, you need to think about an inclusive process, an open dialogue, and ensure that people can express their opinion”. Thais voted Sunday in a referendum on a new constitu.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, former commander in chief of the Thai army, claims the new constitution is part of a road back to full democracy.
About 13.97 million Thais, or 58.11 percent of the voters, agreed to give 250 senators picked by the junta, or the National Council for Peace and Order, the power to elect a prime minister along with 500 elected members of the House of Representatives while 10.07 million, or 41.89 percent, voted against it.
Debate has also been curtailed ahead of the vote, prompting global criticism from allies and the United Nations.
“If people cannot speak their minds freely or take part in political activities without fear, how can they meaningfully engage in this referendum?” Josef Benedict, Amnesty International’s regional deputy director said in a statement on Friday.
“The coup makers tore up the old constitution and robbed us of our rights, promoting themselves to control the government”, “No” voter Ohm Kontaogan, 35, told AFP in Bangkok.
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The junta says the constitution is created to heal more than a decade of divisive politics in Thailand that has dented growth and left scores dead in civil unrest. But it won’t look as majestic for them.
